Why is it that many 'Christians' have difficulties in saying everything which is not of Christ as being satanic? Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Mormonism, Capitalism, Communism, Islamism, Nazism, Racism are all from Satan, aren't they?

From what I understand, different yoga teachers place different levels of emphasis on the spiritual/religious aspects of yoga.

When I was at university in Wellington, the Hare Krishnas used to run yoga sessions, and after the stretching part everyone would sit on the floor and chant Hindu mantras. The yoga teacher deliberately obscured the religious aspects of the mantras - she told the class that a particular word referred to one's 'higher consciousness' when I knew for a fact that it was a name of the Hindu god Krishna. She told me that she didn't emphasise the religious aspects as she didn't want to drive people away.

Bottom line: try another kind of exercise like Pilates and stay away from yoga.

For those interested in reading further try "Orthodoxy and The Religion of The Future" to get a solid view of the practices mentioned above.We should take care bandying phrases like "satanic" around. However even something like Buddhism teaches that only through our own efforts can we achieve "enlightenment". These teachings are opposed to Christ because they reject the essential need we have of His grace. Those who are taught such things are clearly being led away from God and so we can safely say they are anti-Christ. As for those faiths such as Judaism and Islam, they reject the divinity of Christ quite openly. Hinduism is simply paganism. I personally would advise my folk to stay clear of yoga because it does have at its heart Hindu beliefs which, even if not espoused by the practicioner, are a part of what gives yoga its power. Similarly I don't encourage my own children to imagine witchcraft can ever be a good thing and os for my own family I choose not to introduce Barry Trotter.

Why is it that many 'Christians' have difficulties in saying everything which is not of Christ as being satanic? Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Mormonism, Capitalism, Communism, Islamism, Nazism, Racism are all from Satan, aren't they?

Bottom line is: because it can lead you away from Christ!As far as satanic...that's a stretch but some might be.

I think he was trying to make Ppl stay away from these things because it leads one away from Christ.

I know from 1st hand experience.

All my youth i was heavily into martial arts (someone was asking abet karate-so listen up) started with various m-arts schools...stretching exercises, forms...one school class started with meditation before class, Asian philosophy, some had incense burning and a Buddha statue...eventually as i got very much into the mediation side, as the shaolin monks which i idolised. next thing i know I'm Buddhist and wasted twenty years+ into Buddhism. until one day i woke up.

bottom line is it has the potential to take you away from Christ! its very subtle.

Bottom line: try another kind of exercise like Pilates and stay away from yoga.

Quite ironic, given that Pilates himself studied yoga, zen, Chinese martial arts, as well as Western forms of exercise.

« Last Edit: October 13, 2012, 04:14:30 AM by Jetavan »

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

Why is it that many 'Christians' have difficulties in saying everything which is not of Christ as being satanic? Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Mormonism, Capitalism, Communism, Islamism, Nazism, Racism are all from Satan, aren't they?

Bottom line is: because it can lead you away from Christ!As far as satanic...that's a stretch but some might be.

I think he was trying to make Ppl stay away from these things because it leads one away from Christ.

I know from 1st hand experience.

All my youth i was heavily into martial arts (someone was asking abet karate-so listen up) started with various m-arts schools...stretching exercises, forms...one school class started with meditation before class, Asian philosophy, some had incense burning and a Buddha statue...eventually as i got very much into the mediation side, as the shaolin monks which i idolised. next thing i know I'm Buddhist and wasted twenty years+ into Buddhism. until one day i woke up.

bottom line is it has the potential to take you away from Christ! its very subtle.

Indeed. Well stated.

Evil succeeds by convincing people that isn't evil.

Selam

« Last Edit: October 13, 2012, 02:41:54 PM by Gebre Menfes Kidus »

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"There are two great tragedies: one is to live a life ruled by the passions, and the other is to live a passionless life."Selam, +GMK+

Why is it that many 'Christians' have difficulties in saying everything which is not of Christ as being satanic? Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Mormonism, Capitalism, Communism, Islamism, Nazism, Racism are all from Satan, aren't they?

Bottom line is: because it can lead you away from Christ!As far as satanic...that's a stretch but some might be.

I think he was trying to make Ppl stay away from these things because it leads one away from Christ.

I know from 1st hand experience.

All my youth i was heavily into martial arts (someone was asking abet karate-so listen up) started with various m-arts schools...stretching exercises, forms...one school class started with meditation before class, Asian philosophy, some had incense burning and a Buddha statue...eventually as i got very much into the mediation side, as the shaolin monks which i idolised. next thing i know I'm Buddhist and wasted twenty years+ into Buddhism. until one day i woke up.

bottom line is it has the potential to take you away from Christ! its very subtle.

Indeed. Well stated.

Evil succeeds by convincing people that isn't evil.

Selam

Or by convincing them that everything they dont particularly understand is evil.

Why is it that many 'Christians' have difficulties in saying everything which is not of Christ as being satanic? Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Mormonism, Capitalism, Communism, Islamism, Nazism, Racism are all from Satan, aren't they?

Bottom line is: because it can lead you away from Christ!As far as satanic...that's a stretch but some might be.

I think he was trying to make Ppl stay away from these things because it leads one away from Christ.

I know from 1st hand experience.

All my youth i was heavily into martial arts (someone was asking abet karate-so listen up) started with various m-arts schools...stretching exercises, forms...one school class started with meditation before class, Asian philosophy, some had incense burning and a Buddha statue...eventually as i got very much into the mediation side, as the shaolin monks which i idolised. next thing i know I'm Buddhist and wasted twenty years+ into Buddhism. until one day i woke up.

bottom line is it has the potential to take you away from Christ! its very subtle.

Indeed. Well stated.

Evil succeeds by convincing people that isn't evil.

Selam

Or by convincing them that everything they dont particularly understand is evil.

You represent your forum name quite well.

Selam

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"There are two great tragedies: one is to live a life ruled by the passions, and the other is to live a passionless life."Selam, +GMK+

Why is it that many 'Christians' have difficulties in saying everything which is not of Christ as being satanic? Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Mormonism, Capitalism, Communism, Islamism, Nazism, Racism are all from Satan, aren't they?

Bottom line is: because it can lead you away from Christ!As far as satanic...that's a stretch but some might be.

I think he was trying to make Ppl stay away from these things because it leads one away from Christ.

I know from 1st hand experience.

All my youth i was heavily into martial arts (someone was asking abet karate-so listen up) started with various m-arts schools...stretching exercises, forms...one school class started with meditation before class, Asian philosophy, some had incense burning and a Buddha statue...eventually as i got very much into the mediation side, as the shaolin monks which i idolised. next thing i know I'm Buddhist and wasted twenty years+ into Buddhism. until one day i woke up.

bottom line is it has the potential to take you away from Christ! its very subtle.

Indeed. Well stated.

Evil succeeds by convincing people that isn't evil.

Selam

Or by convincing them that everything they dont particularly understand is evil.

You represent your forum name quite well.

Selam

I really don't think most Iraqis agree with him Gebre.

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I know a secret about a former Supreme Court Justice. Can you guess what it is?

Why is it that many 'Christians' have difficulties in saying everything which is not of Christ as being satanic? Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Mormonism, Capitalism, Communism, Islamism, Nazism, Racism are all from Satan, aren't they?

Bottom line is: because it can lead you away from Christ!As far as satanic...that's a stretch but some might be.

I think he was trying to make Ppl stay away from these things because it leads one away from Christ.

I know from 1st hand experience.

All my youth i was heavily into martial arts (someone was asking abet karate-so listen up) started with various m-arts schools...stretching exercises, forms...one school class started with meditation before class, Asian philosophy, some had incense burning and a Buddha statue...eventually as i got very much into the mediation side, as the shaolin monks which i idolised. next thing i know I'm Buddhist and wasted twenty years+ into Buddhism. until one day i woke up.

bottom line is it has the potential to take you away from Christ! its very subtle.

Indeed. Well stated.

Evil succeeds by convincing people that isn't evil.

Selam

Or by convincing them that everything they dont particularly understand is evil.

If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

Yoga has become a big deal in America. Everywhere you turn, it seems, there’s somebody with a yoga mat. On their way to class. To sweat and bend and get centered. Limber. Some say alive. One of those “come to yoga” acolytes was Benjamin Lorr. He went from chubby mess to yoga svelte.

And then on – to competitive yoga. Yes, there is competitive yoga. His was hot, Bikram-style. He found a lot of pain there. And some joy. And a lot of insight into the world of yoga.

This hour, On Point: the body and mind-bending world of extreme yoga.

« Last Edit: December 12, 2012, 11:01:34 AM by Jetavan »

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

I've not read the book. Are you saying the topic isn't mentioned in that book?

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Conquer evil men by your gentle kindness, and make zealous men wonder at your goodness. Put the lover of legality to shame by your compassion. With the afflicted be afflicted in mind. Love all men, but keep distant from all men.—St. Isaac of Syria

ORTHODOXY AND THE RELIGION OF THE FUTURE examines in eight chapters these and similar questions facing Christians in the contemporary world. The religious phenomena of today are symptoms of a "new religious consciousness" that is preparing the world religion of the future. Phenomena such as Yoga, Zen, Tantra, Transcendental Meditation, Maharaj-ji, Hare Krishna, UFOs, ...

Conquer evil men by your gentle kindness, and make zealous men wonder at your goodness. Put the lover of legality to shame by your compassion. With the afflicted be afflicted in mind. Love all men, but keep distant from all men.—St. Isaac of Syria

ORTHODOXY AND THE RELIGION OF THE FUTURE examines in eight chapters these and similar questions facing Christians in the contemporary world. The religious phenomena of today are symptoms of a "new religious consciousness" that is preparing the world religion of the future. Phenomena such as Yoga, Zen, Tantra, Transcendental Meditation, Maharaj-ji, Hare Krishna, UFOs, ...

It is a very good book and highly recommended. While it is a bit dated, it is still very timely and helps in gaining an understanding of the historical roots of much contemporary religious and spiritual phenomena outside of Orthodoxy.

Do the Hindus have a monopoly on shavasana, just because it may be linked to an aspect of the Divine as understood by Hindus?

« Last Edit: December 13, 2012, 09:07:06 AM by Jetavan »

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

I think my sister (well, in reality my very close cousin), is a good example. She used to be pious Roman Catholic (attending many services and some youth meetings, singing in choir and so on), but she started practicing yoga. In the beginning her behaviour was normal, but then she became a vegetarian, gave up the Church. She's been reading some Buddhist books (even for Christmas I was given such book by her). This revolution had started with yoga.

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Pray for persecuted Christians, especially in Serbian Kosovo and Raška, Egypt and Syria

Kenneth says that the Hindus know that every "asana", or yoga pose, is linked to a Hindu Deity. Well, some Hindus have also linked every vowel and consonant to a Hindu Deity as well -- or to be more precise, to a Divine aspect.

Do the Hindus have a monopoly on shavasana, just because it may be linked to an aspect of the Divine as understood by Hindus?

The problem is, that the Hindus invented Yoga out of spiritual need(tool for meditation), spiritual search and they linked it to a Hindu Deity. Yoga was at the very beginning impure and unholy. Vowels and constants didn't came into existence out of a spiritual need. It's a part of our nature. And sure, you can link a part of your nature to a deity, it's just a misuse of the nature, of the original purpose. But Yoga is not a part of our nature; there's no neutral root of Yoga. And today people try to make from a unholy, impure thing, something neutral. :/

And why should I use relaxation practice with Yoga, to calm with it "shattered nerves and relieve sensations of fatigue"? I think a spiritual person (I'm not) don't need that or somebody who tries to be spiritual (in an orthodox way). When you live daily in an atmosphere of repentance, you'll by and by overcome your physical and mental weakness. And when you try to overcome it with Yoga, you'll not learn to overcome some weakness by Grace of God. For example when I use Yoga against impure thoughts, then Christ will loose more and more his role in your spiritual way of salvation, of theosis. When I use it against mental weakness, that I'll never learn to overcome it with the grace of God, with prayer, with humility, with repentance.Yoga is so attractive, because the effect comes very fast. But the orthodox way of life is a battle, and some effects come just after some months or years. And so (orthodox) people try to overcome some "neutral" part of their life with Yoga.

I think in general people who practiced Yoga before they became orthodox, they stop with it, because they know and feel the danger, but people who start with Yoga as orthodox believer they've difficulties to understand the danger of Yoga.

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian yoga guru B.K.S. Iyengar, who helped popularize yoga around the world and authored 17 books on the subject, died Wednesday at age 95.....Iyengar created his own brand of yoga, called "Iyengar yoga," and established studios in 72 countries where yoga practitioners are taught ways to improve breathing, concentration and meditation.....In a condolence message, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Iyengar as "a fine guru, scholar and a stalwart who brought yoga into the lives of many across the world."

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian yoga guru B.K.S. Iyengar, who helped popularize yoga around the world and authored 17 books on the subject, died Wednesday at age 95.....Iyengar created his own brand of yoga, called "Iyengar yoga," and established studios in 72 countries where yoga practitioners are taught ways to improve breathing, concentration and meditation.....In a condolence message, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Iyengar as "a fine guru, scholar and a stalwart who brought yoga into the lives of many across the world."

Before entering the Orthodox Church, I practiced BKS Iyengar yoga for years under senior level teachers who had over 30 years of training under Iyengar himself. As I moved towards Orthodoxy, however, I came to see my yoga practice spritually clashing with the Orthodox worldview and spiritual culture. The more I moved towards Orthodoxy, the more I became convinced that yoga is incompatible with Orthodox praxis and spiritual development. Yoga leads to the experience of one's created nature, one's created spirit, but not to the experience of the Uncreated God. Yet, in yoga it is taught that the Self is God. Mistaking the created for the Uncreated, this is the biggest delusion and the biggest obstacle to knowing the Uncreated God. This is the same delusion that Lucifer fell into. Through contemplation of his own created beauty, he thought himself to be greater than the Uncreated God.

The goal of Orthodoxy is theosis, and this theosis is arrived at through baptism, participation in the grace-filled mysteries of the Church, and becoming a vessel of God's grace through repentance, humility, love, and obedience to Christ. Yoga is a means by which we can psychosomatically produce experiences which seem "spiritual" and "mystical", but they ultimately lead further and further away from Christ and deeper into demonic delusion.

Yoga leads to the experience of one's created nature, one's created spirit, but not to the experience of the Uncreated God. Yet, in yoga it is taught that the Self is God.

Not sure if something is lost in translation there, but I've never been told outright that the self is God - more that the self, everyone's self, is a spark of the divine, and thus deserving of respect. That's what 'namaste' says in a single word.

Anyone who picks up or perseveres in yoga in order to experience God is bound to be disappointed and create in their minds what the discipline is not equipped to give them - the very definition of prelest, if I remember right.

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'When you live your path all the time, you end up with both more path and more time.'~Venecia Rauls

Yoga leads to the experience of one's created nature, one's created spirit, but not to the experience of the Uncreated God. Yet, in yoga it is taught that the Self is God.

Not sure if something is lost in translation there, but I've never been told outright that the self is God - more that the self, everyone's self, is a spark of the divine, and thus deserving of respect. That's what 'namaste' says in a single word.

Anyone who picks up or perseveres in yoga in order to experience God is bound to be disappointed and create in their minds what the discipline is not equipped to give them - the very definition of prelest, if I remember right.

Quote

Quote

Swami Vishnudevananda:

the aim of all yoga practice is to achieve truth wherein the individual soul identifies itself with the supreme soul of God.

Bhagavad Gita 13.12-17

I shall tell you of the soul. The soul is God who is immortal and infinite, who has no beginning and will have no end, and who both exists and does not exist. Those who know the soul, are immortal.

The soul dwells in every living being, and in every part of every living being; it dwells in the hand and the foot, the skull and the mouth, the eye and the ear. Although it does not itself have senses, it shines through every sense. It is completely independent, yet all beings depend on it.

The soul is both near every living being, and far from every being. The soul is both inside and outside every living being. The soul is the cause of movement, but does not itself move. The soul is one, yet has innumerable forms. The soul creates, preserves, and destroys.

The soul is the light of every light; and its light transcends the duality of brightness and darkness. The soul is the light of knowledge; and its light is also the goal of knowledge. In the soul the subject and object of knowledge are one.

Atharva Veda

He is the Supreme Brahman, the Self of all, the chief foundation ofthis world, subtler than the subtle, eternal. That thou art; thou artThat.

Anything that someone would hear at the Tuesday evening drop-in class (which has negligible chances of being Sivananda)?

An interesting crossover between Swami Sivananda and the Orthodox Nun, Sister 'Mother' Gavrilia occured when she did some work at his ashram. She reported

'At one point when she was working in the dispensary of the ashram of Sivananda, his disciple, Chichananda, became angry in a public lecture and lost his calm. He was very sorry for this, and later said to her, “Did you hear what happened to me? Is there any book you can give me?” He was looking at her as a person who had a kind of asceticism and spirituality. He did not know this kind of Christianity. He knew the other – the active, the social, the missionary schools of other denominations. So she gave him the Philokalia. He was quite impressed, and the next thing he did was to visit Mount Athos. A Hindu monk, can you imagine?'

....Yoga leads to the experience of one's created nature, one's created spirit, but not to the experience of the Uncreated God. Yet, in yoga it is taught that the Self is God.

Well, there's "yoga" and then there's Yoga, one of the six classical systems of Hindu philosophy. Small "y" yoga can refer to any sort of practice in which comm/union with the Divine is cultivated, and one can adopt many different viewpoints on the soul/Divine relationship (soul and God are absolutely one; soul and God are in some sense one, in another sense distinct; soul and God are totally separate) for any particular yoga.

But the classical Yoga, exemplified by the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, talks about "Ishvara", the Supreme Being, who is eternally free of afflictions and actions, unconditioned by time, the Teacher of the ancients. Devotion to Ishvara, or "God", is one way to realize moksha, or true freedom. Moksha, in one sense, is union with Ishvara (because one realizes the true nature of one's soul, which is the same as the true nature of Ishvara), but in another sense, is simply communion with Ishvara (because only Ishvara has been free from all eternity).

« Last Edit: August 21, 2014, 04:22:36 PM by Jetavan »

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If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

Before entering the Orthodox Church, I practiced BKS Iyengar yoga for years under senior level teachers who had over 30 years of training under Iyengar himself. As I moved towards Orthodoxy, however, I came to see my yoga practice spritually clashing with the Orthodox worldview and spiritual culture. The more I moved towards Orthodoxy, the more I became convinced that yoga is incompatible with Orthodox praxis and spiritual development. Yoga leads to the experience of one's created nature, one's created spirit, but not to the experience of the Uncreated God. Yet, in yoga it is taught that the Self is God. Mistaking the created for the Uncreated, this is the biggest delusion and the biggest obstacle to knowing the Uncreated God. This is the same delusion that Lucifer fell into. Through contemplation of his own created beauty, he thought himself to be greater than the Uncreated God.

And that is the ultimate definition of narcissism.

Quote

The goal of Orthodoxy is theosis, and this theosis is arrived at through baptism, participation in the grace-filled mysteries of the Church, and becoming a vessel of God's grace through repentance, humility, love, and obedience to Christ. Yoga is a means by which we can psychosomatically produce experiences which seem "spiritual" and "mystical", but they ultimately lead further and further away from Christ and deeper into demonic delusion.

It is also interesting to note that one of the documents being prepared for the proposed Council in 1916 condemns Yoga.

If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.